Fungicide

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Partners & Friends,

The intensity of field work is finally winding down for the summer. We are spraying our last pass of fungicide on corn and beans. Our new sprayer has proven a huge benefit; we are now able to spray more efficiently with bigger loads (1,200 gallons vs. 1,000 gallons) and a wider boom (120 feet vs. 100 feet). A principal reason to upgrade the machine was to permit the application of 20 gallon/acre of water on the last pass of corn, opposed to the airplane rate of 2 gallon/acre. This thorough coverage of soaking should give the plant more, lasting protection against diseases and insects. We are conducting several field trials this season, which should provide insightful data to judge the value on the more complete coverage. We still feel there is much potential in both the corn and bean crops.

The team continues to stay busy working on the summer construction projects. Our window of extra summer labor will be closing in a few weeks as college and school begin to resume. The Fulton County Fair is this week, with the State Fair ensuing two weeks after.

Management decisions are difficult in this global, volatile situation. I attended a summer marketing meeting last week, which I hope to report on soon. Commodity prices have been in a freefall with the scattered rainfall across the cornbelt; corn and soybeans are down almost $2 and $3/bushel, respectively.

Phyllis and I have been getting some family time now that farming is less intense, including a visit to the Luecht family in Grafton, WI last weekend, and the Steele family and Ali in St. Louis, MO this weekend. Charles and Wilma celebrated their 69th anniversary last Tuesday, the 19th.

Fall Prices:

Corn—5.52

Soybeans—13.03

Stay cool and safe,

Steve

Happy Birthday, USA!

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Partners & Friends,

The 4th of July celebrations this weekend mean we are already to the middle of summer (and year)! The pace of farm activities is a bit easier now that we’ve completed the first cutting of hay and finished the second spraying of corn last week. I just noticed some tassels today, which is good news because it means the corn crop is catching up after a slow start. I have not seen any local sweet corn at the market yet, but it can't be far off! The Hess Family Farm is in full construction mode, with some of the remodeling already at the rebuilding stage. The last of our grain has been shipped; now we need to prepare the grain center and storage bins for new crop. The weather over the next four weeks will be critical. We currently have no excess moisture, but the corn and soybeans are looking very good. The two-week weather forecast shows chances for rain (although nothing substantial) and no extreme heat.

The commodity market absorbed the quarterly grain stocks and planted acreage reports last Thursday with downward movement. The weather over the next few weeks will offer plenty of volatility. There has been some decrease in price in the fertilizer and fuel market, and we are looking to lock in some input (fertilizer, chemicals, seed, and fuel) for the 2023 crop soon. Here in Illinois, the Democrats and Republicans both claimed victory in the Republican primary.🤔 Phyllis opted out of serving as an election judge for the first time in decades due to the unfortunate issues with her eye.😔

The family is keeping busy with vacations, camps, shows, and fireworks. This month of July will fly by with county fairs and meetings to attend.

I hope you all have a great holiday, enjoying and appreciating the freedoms we have here!

Fall Prices:

Corn—5.95

Soybeans—13.90

To read a message from Dennis, a Ukrainian farmer, click here.

Please feel free to leave comments—we do our best to reply to every single one!

Steve

Get Out the Shorts!

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Partners & Friends,

While entering the middle of June, the forecast has turned HOT, with heat indexes over 100. We are trying to get the beans sprayed before June 20 (the last date to spray), but the label says no dicamba on days over 85°. 🙁 We will see what can be accomplished this weekend. The cool, wet weather has been fantastic for crop development, yet the crop is still behind “normal” for growth. This heat should help them catch up, as long as moisture does not run out. Stands of corn and beans are near perfect. Our seed dealer told us that he did not have to send out a single bag of replant seed, which is the first time ever! Corn has potential to be a great crop, depending on weather during and after pollination. Beans are not looking to have record potential, with slow growth and delayed flowering. 

We have arrived in our third season on the farm: construction. This is our window of opportunity to remodel and upgrade facilities and property for better utilization throughout the year. We are upgrading the horse barn at Marcus’ farmstead, remodeling our parlor building for work area and goats, and converting one of the former freestall barns for hay and machine storage. That, along with waterway repairs and driveway improvements, always has our list longer than time and resources permit. The HFF team feel it necessary to continually upgrade to keep the farm—both what we own and the property our landowners contribute—as productive as possible. Haying this summer is frustrating with the recent weather…first cutting should have been completed 2 weeks ago.😐 We have been doing some custom CRP seeding when ground conditions allow, as well as spraying fences and creek banks to control rogue trees and sprouts. We are also still delivering corn and beans; the bins are almost empty. I have never sold $8/bushel corn, but getting very close to that right now. 😁

Questions are looming in the global marketplace: how much crop got planted in Ukraine? How much will they be able to export? How much demand destruction has occurred? What will fertilizer availability and price be next crop season? Where will energy prices top out? Can we agree on a long-term energy policy in the US? How long and deep will this (possible) recession be?

The family is in the throes of summer activities: VBS, camps, goat shows, vacations, ball games, and hopefully a little relaxation. With a few more issues that popped up recently, Phyllis will be tending to her eye for quite a while.

Fall Prices:

Corn—7.06

Soybeans—15.68

Let us know what you want to hear about!

Steve

Remembering the Past

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Partners and friends,

I attended The Half Century of Progress Show in Rantoul at the old Air Force base this past week. There were acres and acres of equipment from over 50 years ago and over 5,000 UTV's on the grounds to look things over. My friend Chuck and I watched over 30 corn pickers in action and 5 corn shellers at work and numerous tractors and moldboard plows turn soil over. There was no carbon saved at that show. :) I give a big hats-off to the dedication and effort of the organization that puts on that show every other year. In observing all the events going on I am reminded of those who have gone before me and the sweat and innovation and development and refinement of the machines to make agriculture more productive and efficient. I can remember picking ear corn and 2,000 bushels was a big day—now we do that in less than an hour! I felt proud to think of those who have gone before and created the agriculture system we have in the world today, and how if there is food shortage in the world it is not because of supply, but is a distribution issue.

We are finishing up summer projects--tile repair, equipment maintenance, end of crop year bookkeeping, waterway repair, mowing, and tiling where crops are not in the way. The crop is rapidly maturing and from the looks of it, this corn crop will be one of the best ever. Beans are benefiting from some of the spotty showers this past week and are filling nicely. We are targeting a start date of mid-September. We have picked up a few part-time high school and college team members to round out the staff. Our annual fall safety meeting is on the schedule for September 8th. The bin project for corn drying is mostly complete. We have been told the new storage bin we ordered might not be delivered till late October. Will it get erected in time to use this harvest? Stay tuned.

Globally, grain supply is tightening up a bit. We foresee commodity prices staying elevated for a year or two. Brazil is preparing to plant more acres of soybeans than ever before. Weather concerns are popping up all around the globe—too wet or too dry. Climate change has been going on since the earth was created. Mankind now thinks he can control it by throwing money at it.

Family is well. Kennett is growing quite well. Show season is over. School is starting for everyone except Ali, who does not go back till late September. Phyllis and I had a nice getaway weekend on our anniversary.

Fall Prices:

Corn 5.44

SB 13.13


Keep in touch! Comments always welcomed.

Steve

Two Weeks

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Partners,

Marcus and I conferred this morning and decided we would try to start this year’s harvest in two weeks, around the 23rd of September. This is about 2 weeks later than normal, which seems strange since we did plant corn in April this spring. The early planted bean fields are starting to turn but it seems doubtful that we will combine any of those before October. We will certainly be harvesting into November, and likely beyond if the wet weather forecasts hold true. We have been busy getting equipment ready, preparing bins, shipping out the last of the corn, repairing tile blowouts, mowing roadsides and waterways, barn repair, and other assorted jobs. I cant wait for harvest to begin so we can concentrate on one task! We received enough rain two weeks ago to provide some very welcome relief from the nine weeks of less than .75” total precipitation. The crop looks like it will be an average one--if the frost is later than normal. Cash prices seem to be anticipating plenty of bushels to go around. I will try to communicate as soon as we start with yields and moisture.

News that we are going to enter into trade talks with China sparked the market some this week. The world of trade will be different in the future but in the end there are only so many bushels of each commodity to go around. The swine flu in China seems to coming under control. Speculation is that Asian Swine Flu will attack this country at some point--there are no known vaccines and it is creeping across southeast Asia now.

The family is doing great. School has started for everyone except Ali--she starts October 1. After everyone enjoyed some vacation time this summer it was good to get back to the routine of classes. Enjoying lots of fresh garden produce . Growing conditions have been good for that!

Fall Prices:

Corn--3.40

Soybeans--8.17


Keep in touch,

Steve